Mohamed Abdulle

As a refugee in Kenya, Mohamed Abdulle was confined to a refugee camp. In the United States, he is free to go wherever he pleases.

Born in Afgooye, Somalia, Mr. Abdulle worked on a farm after he completed high school. He decided to visit his family in Mogadishu where he heard gunfire and fighting in the streets. One day, his uncle—a member for the military—told Mohamed that his family needed to leave; the Somali government had collapsed.

Mr. Abdulle left for Kenya but became separated from his family; he had to complete his journey by himself. After becoming a refugee in Kenya, Mohamed began running a small business, got married, and started a family. Years later, he was selected from resettlement to St. Louis, Missouri. While he gained a lot from his move to the United States, he lost things as well. His children lost the ability to speak Kiswahili and Somali, and his limited English made it hard to communicate with his own family.

Since arriving in the United States, Mr. Abdulle has gone from job to job, meeting people from a variety of cultures and backgrounds. He currently works in utility from a company in Cold Spring, Minnesota and lives in St. Cloud with his family.